SC Seeks Govt Response In Film Ban Case In Two Weeks

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Oct, 2016 ) : The Supreme Court on Friday accepted the government's plea and granted two weeks to submit comprehensive response regarding objectionable portions of the film Maalik.

The court also expressed annoyance over reply submitted by Mubashar Hassan Chairman Central Film Censor board and remarked that how CFCB can ban a movie without viewing. A two-judge bench consisting of Justices Umar Atta Bandial and Qazi Faez Isa took up a Federal government appeal against the Sindh High Court's Sept 9 order quashing the government's notification de-certifying the censor certificate under Section 9 of the Motion Pictures Ordinance 1979.

During the course of proceedings, the counsel for Director Ashir Azeem informed the court that government officials were pressurizing the movie director to not submit copy of the movie in the apex court.

Mubashar Chairman CFCB informed the court that in a movie scene judge was complained for adjournments and alleged delay in justice by courts. On which Justice Qazi Faez remarked that the government was seeking adjournment in the case.

Mubashar Hassan said that the Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) had started receiving a plethora of public complaints from across the country. The complainants made phone calls, sent letters and personally visited the CBFC office to express their extreme reaction to the movie.

After examining the complaints, the CBFC de- certified the film through a notification on April 27. Later, hearing of the case was adjourned for 15 days.